RadicalMedia has signed filmmaker Joe Talbot for global representation spanning commercials, branded content and music videos. Talbot is an accomplished director in short and long-form fare, best known for his feature film debut, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, which won the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, as well as a Special Jury Prize for Creative Collaboration.
The hit independent film, which launched Talbot’s career, was described by The New York Times as “heart-skipping, astonishing and exultant” and garnered Film Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best First Feature and the Someone To Watch honor for Talbot. Additionally The Last Black Man in San Francisco earned Talbot a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a First-Time Feature Film
Written and directed by Talbot and based on his friend Jimmy Fail’s real-life experiences, The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a quirky, unflinching examination of gentrification and toxic masculinity, which instantly touched the hearts of critics and audiences alike.
Talbot has also honed his filmmaking craft and highly stylized aesthetic with short-form content, such as his Sundance-winning short film, American Paradise, and Adele’s viral music video for “I Drink Wine.” Adele initially reached out to Talbot after seeing The Last Black Man in San Francisco, saying the film “blew me away aesthetically.” Adele continued by describing the film as “so poetic and moving and such an amazing love letter to San Francisco…whoever directed this, I’ve got to work with him.” In less than a month, the music video has racked up 20 million views and counting. Adele herself said “I Drink Wine” was “favorite video she’s ever made.”
Talbot–who was previously repped in the commercialmaking arena by m ss ng p eces–is a fifth-generation San Franciscan and founder of the production company, LONGSHOT. As a jack of all trades with a desire to tell important stories, Talbot commands a key skill set of directing, writing, producing, editing, and composing original scores for his work. His sophomore feature, The Governesses, a feverish period piece starring Lily-Rose Depp, HoYeon Jung and Renate Reinsve, is currently set at A24.
“I remember when I saw The Last Black Man in San Francisco I was blown away. I knew then that anyone who could tell that kind of story with such great performances with an unknown actor in the lead was someone we needed to work with,” said RadicalMedia president and EP, Frank Scherma. “Seeing the new Adele video just solidified those thoughts. We are very happy to have him join us.”
Talbot said, “I’m thrilled to join Radical, who’ve consistently been behind some of the most exciting work in the commercial space for years now. I admire the way they’ve brought feature directors into the ad space so tastefully, without losing any of what makes them such great long-form storytellers. I look forward to making work together on that level for years to come.”
